Birthday Roses
by Sailor Heartache
Summary: It's Serena's birthday, and what does Darien have planned?


Name: Birthday Roses  
Author: Sailor Heartache  
Email: amaterasuoomikam@aol.com  
Rating: PG  
  
Birthday Roses @~~~  
The streetlights of Tokyo shimmered, and slowly became brighter.   
For the many people under them this was a blessing, because a small   
storm was brewing. Crackling and pouring the storm quickly began to   
flood the large city.  
Darien Chiba, was one of the unfortunate few that was stuck out   
in the rain. Holding his schoolbooks above his head he was jogging   
through the jungle of people trying to get away from the rain.  
Sighing he ran a hand through his wet hair. 'Why didn't I take   
the car this morning?' A clap of thunder cackled, and the rain began to   
fall harder. Darien jogged faster, allowing his feet to do the work and   
his mind to wander.  
'Why is it that the only day when I don't take the car it   
rains?' He sighed again 'I'll never see Meatball Head in this weather.   
She hates storms.'  
Serena Tsukino was an airhead, ditz, klutz, and everything else   
that was opposite to Darien, but there was something about her. Her   
stunning blond hair that glittered in the sunlight, her ripe lips that   
threatened his sanity, her sparkling eyes that always held a look of   
vitality, and even the infamous Meatballs attracted him to her. It's   
quite true, ever since he had met Serena, Darien had been head over   
heels in love with her.  
'Tomorrow's her birthday…I hope it stops raining, or I won't be   
able to go through with the plan.' He sighed, for weeks he had been   
planning the perfect present for Serena, and hopefully for him too.  
The sky flashed and another rumbling noise could be heard in the   
distance. The rain continued to pour, ignoring the man's silent pleading   
for it to stop.  
Darien groaned and entered his apartment building. 'Oh well,   
better call Andrew. Everything has to be perfect.'  
The rain continued to pour.  
  
Serena Tsukino sat staring silently out her window. She   
absolutely hated storms. 'Why does it have to rain today? Tomorrow's my   
birthday!' Deciding the storm held no interest for her she moved her   
view to the small picture next to her bed. It was a cute picture of   
Darien Chiba, his hair fell in his eyes like normal, he hadn't known she   
took that.  
Darien Chiba was a sophisticated college student, smart, and   
handsome. He was one of the few people that Serena felt she completely   
understood, but it didn't matter he hated her. Oh yes, Darien and Serena   
were rivals, they fought constantly. Then again maybe that was why she   
was so attracted to him, he was the only guy that dared to pick on her.  
Serena sighed in ecstasy, she could see him now; his hair   
falling over his eyes giving her an urge to just reach up and brush it   
out of his face, his midnight blue eyes that no one seemed to   
understand, and even his nose that always seemed to be buried in a   
physics book. Ever since Serena had met Darien she felt a strong force   
pulling her to him, as if telling her that he desperately needed someone   
to love him. 'Darien….'  
"Serena will you wipe that look off your face! You need to get   
some sleep it's almost midnight, and you'll be busy tomorrow." Luna   
lectured from the end of Serena's bed.  
Snapping out of thoughts she turned to he lunar cat, "Luna, it's   
Saturday, I don't have to be up till 1!"  
Luna rolled her eyes and replied, "Yes, but that doesn't mean   
you shouldn't be."  
Groaning in surrender Serena turned off her lamp and crawled   
under her warm blankets. 'If I could have one birthday wish, it would to   
be that Darien would be mine forever.'  
  
Swish! The sliding doors of the small arcade at the corner of   
Cheery Hill and Maple Hill opened, and as normal nobody looked up.  
Darien Chiba smiled, today was the day! It had even stopped   
raining, and hopefully everything would be work out…hopefully.  
"Dare! Hey man! Serena's not here yet, so why don't I get you a   
cup of coffee?" Andrew asked as Darien took a seat on one of the few   
barstools.  
Andrew was Darien's best friend, and at the moment he was also a   
co-conspirator. "Andrew, why am I doing this again?"  
Andrew chuckled, "Because my friend, you're deeply in love with   
a certain blond, and you finally found a way to tell her."  
Making a face Darien replied, "What's that supposed to mean?"   
Not wanting a answer he went on, "Do you have the first one?"  
Nodding he reached behind him, and pulled out a pink rose with a   
pink envelope under it. "Yep, it's right here."  
"Don't let her see it till I'm gone ok?"  
"Sure. By the way, what did you end up getting her?" he asked   
looking curiously at his friend.  
Darien grinned, "Now, that's a surprise. You'll find out   
tomorrow, hopefully."  
Swish! The sliding doors of the small arcade opened again, this   
time they admitted a small blond girl, and boy did she have one weird   
hairstyle! (story story!) Only this time both the men sitting at the bar   
looked up.  
"Hey Serena!" Andrew shouted, "Happy Birthday! How does it feel   
to be 15?"  
Smiling the girl took a seat next to Darien, "Hey onii-chan! It   
feels great! My mom even bought me a new outfit!"  
The two guys smiled, "You know Meatball Head, maybe it's time   
you started getting better grades!" Not wanting to start World War III   
Darien took his leave, and exited as quietly as   
he came.  
  
Serena sighed, why was it that man always had to get to her! She   
had meant to tell Andrew about her poetry book, but instead she let   
Darien's presence get to her. All thoughts of   
intelligence drifted away.  
"You know Serena. Someone left this for you this morning."   
Andrew interrupted her   
thoughts by handing her the pink rose and card.  
Smiling brilliantly she picked up the rose and held it to her   
nose, letting the scent   
intoxicate her. Picking up the card she asked Andrew, "Who left it?"  
Andrew held back a chuckle as he watched Serena's eyes light up,   
"I'm not to sure, it   
was here when I arrived this morning. What does it say?"  
Serena smiled as she opened the card and read aloud.  
  
"When forty winters shall beseige thy brow,  
And dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field,  
Thy youth's proud livery, so gazed on now,  
Will be a tatter'd weed, of small worth held:  
Then being ask'd where all thy beauty lies,  
Where all the treasure of thy lusty days,  
To say, within thine own deep-sunken eyes,  
Were an all-eating shame and thriftless praise.  
How much more praise deserved thy beauty's use,  
If thou couldst answer 'This fair child of mine  
Shall sum my count and make my old excuse,'  
Proving his beauty by succession thine!  
This were to be new made when thou art old,  
And see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold."  
  
Her smile widened as she realized that this was none other then Sonnet   
II, by Shakespeare, one of her all time favorites.   
It was so beautiful that tears ran down her face, and even   
Andrew had problems holding his own back. Making a note to himself he   
made sure to remember the poem for Rita's next birthday.   
"The pink rose stands for beauty, keep it close and guard it. If   
you wish to find the writer of this note continue your journey by   
finding a large tree with a stone bench beneath it." Serena finished.   
Smiling to Andrew she picked up the rose and ran out the door to find   
the person who had written the note.  
  
Darien sighed this was taking so long. Looking down at his watch   
he groaned, it had only been three minutes since he left the arcade. His   
mind was racing faster then a hurricane destroys a town. Pacing around   
the small spot where he was concealed he watched the bench.   
Yes, this was THE bench, the one that held a white rose and a   
white card. The next step in Serena's path. Now the only problem was,   
it was taking too long for her to reach it.  
Butterflies nagged at his stomach, and for once the ever-so-calm   
Darien was extremely nervous. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath,   
and looked around. 'There she is! And she has the rose!'  
Indeed at that specific moment Serena jogged up, her breath   
lagging, but she didn't stop. Instead she picked up the next rose,   
smiling she took in the scent of the rose.   
Darien smiled to himself.  
Wrapping the rose around her left meatball, she picked up the   
card.   
"My search for purity & innocence has finally ended, for within your   
eyes is all I need. -unknown." Giggling she read on, "From the time I   
first met you I knew you were the one for me, if you wish to continue   
find a large lake within this park, there I shall wait for you."  
Darien held his breath watching the delicate angel, but she did   
not hesitate, she ran straight for the dock.  
  
Serena's legs ran faster then they ever had before, she was   
confused and curious. Who would do all this for her? The guys at school   
didn't even look at her twice, and here she was getting romantic poems   
from some unknown guy. 'I hope it's Darien…'  
Her mind was spinning there weren't that many guys who even knew   
her well enough to do this. 'Oh well, you're about to find out. Here's   
the dock.'  
Indeed the dock lay in front of her, at the very end a bright   
red rose and a red card.Excited she picked it up. It was perfect in   
every way, it even seemed as if there was still dew on the fragile   
petals. Gently she put it in the opposite meatball as the white rose.   
And picked up the   
small card.  
It only had two words. "turn around".  
Smiling she turned around just as the card told her to.  
  
Darien smiled as Serena turned around and before she could even   
see who he was he   
pressed his lips gently against her own. Her body went limp, and within   
seconds she was responding to the kiss with equal passion as his own.   
Without a thought he deepened the kiss.   
  
Serena couldn't think everything seemed so hazy and far off. But   
the kiss, it was so soft,   
so gentle, and so full of passion. Without a thought she replied to it.   
Slowly she realized she was   
breathing again.   
  
Darien looked at her she was so beautiful, "Serena, ever since I   
met you, you've been   
stuck in my mind. You're the most beautiful angel I've ever seen.   
Serena, I love you." Without   
waiting for an answer he put a small silver ring, with intricate   
cravings of roses, on her index   
finger. "It's a promise ring. As long as you wear it, I'll love you."  
  
Serena smiled, oblivious to the tears that made their way down   
her face. "Darien, this is   
the best birthday ever." Pausing she gave him a huge hug and whispered   
in his ear. "I love you, too."  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
